I’ve finally finished watching _The Prisoner_, which got progressively more strange in its last four episodes, concluding with an episodes that makes absolutely no sense unless one completely disconnects it from the 16 that proceeded it and think of it, not as a science fiction continuation of the series, but at some strange amalgamated literary/symbolic wankfest by series creator Patrick McGoohan. Realize that (which took me until near the end of the episode), and then I needed only one further clue to get the final “message” of this show — the door to No. 6’s flat in London opening as he drove off. And that, as they say, is that. Unlike the marveloulsy interprative “Restless” episode of _Buffy_ at the end of season 4, the ultimate episode of _The Prisoner_ cannot sustain more detailed analysis. Which makes sense, perhaps, when you realize it was written in 48 hours.